Hail mother motor, hail piston rotor, hail wheel

Ever had a multitude of ideas for a post bubbling in your head all day, only to find that when you finally get the opportunity to articulate these thoughts, you have lost all momentum? I suspect this is going to be one of those posts. Let’s give it a good Aussie try anyhow.

Now, the price of petrol is an issue over which a great deal of political discussion has centred this year. Fuel prices have been steadily increasing for some time, culminating in a price point that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. Naturally, motorists are clambering for relief. It has been suggested that the government should reduce the excise it imposes at the point of sale. This is a misguided suggestion, for a couple of reasons, Firstly, the upward trend in global oil prices is going to continue regardless, so any relief will inevitably be short-lived. Secondly, it surely goes without saying that the shortfall in revenue that this would cause would have to be made up elsewhere.

No. Seriously, the only way we can lessen the effect of the vagaries of oil prices on our collective hip pockets is to reduce our dependence on the stuff.

Yesterday’s lead article in West Australian predicted a population boom in Perth over the next few decades, and gave pointed examples of public infrastructure that are unable to cope with our present population numbers. What I found concerning was that among these examples were references to the current degree of traffic congestion and the difficulty experienced in locating a parking space. If the goal is to create a sustainable and people-friendly city, then making it easier for people to drive is probably the worst thing we can possibly do.

Perth’s public transport renaissance needs to continue. The network’s coverage and efficiency have improved dramatically in the past twenty years, and this has been reflected in a substantial increase in passenger numbers. Still, there is a significant segment of the population who would never contemplate leaving their car at home, and the next stage of the revival should be to encourage these individuals to change their habits. It is true that the public transport network struggles to adequately service some of the more far-flung parts of Perth’s vast urban sprawl. However, it is also true that there are people who insist on driving even where public transport is a perfectly viable option. I attribute this attitude to a number of local cultural factors. Firstly, there is still an apparent perception among some that public transport serves, or should serve, as a residual system for people who are unable to drive for one reason or another. Secondly, the situation of being bound by bus and train schedules is often an anathema to those who are used to being able to come and go as they please – even where services are a mere 10-15 minutes apart. Finally, some people just don’t like sharing their personal space with strangers.

It is imperative that these attitudes be addressed as part of Perth’s focus on a sustainable future. Obviously it will never be possible to provide high-frequency public transport services to all corners of Perth’s metropolitan area – for this we can thank the short-sighted urban planning policies of the 50s and 60s. However, it is my ultimate hope that where the option of public transport does exist, it will be the natural choice for everyone.